Range light reflector shield



Oct. 28, 1952 w. R. CRAWFORD RANGE LIGHT REFLECTOR SHIELD,

Filed Jan. 31, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

W/L L IA M RICHA RD CRAWFORD @ZZWQ A TORNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1952 2,616,026 7 RANGE LIGHT REFLECTOR SHIELD William Richard Crawford, Park Hills, Ky., as-

signor to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 31, 1950, Serial No. 141,481

The present invention relates to an illuminating reflector located adjacent to a light source and relates more particularly to a reflector shield for attachment to the backguard of a cooking range whereby the shield not only reflects light from a source of illumination but also acts as a cover plate for shielding electrical units, such as fuses, located within the backguard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a light reflector whichis very simple in construction, consisting of a unitary piece of decorative material which is releasably secured I to the backguard or backsplash of a range. It

is another object of the present invention to provide a unitary reflector shield which serves the dual purpose of reflecting light from an associated light source and acting as a cover plate for shielding fuses or other electrical units positioned within the backguard.

It is well known by those skilled in the art that electrical fuses have on numerous occasions exploded during an electrical overload period. For this reason laws have been passed in various localities in the interest of fire prevention requiring that the fuses be shielded and not exposed in any way'to combustible materials, such as the floor of the ordinary dwelling house. With this requirement in view, it will be apparent that the reflector shield of the present invention affords a simple and economical means for shielding the fuses as well as providing a simple reflector of light for illuminating the top cooking surface of the range.

- Another advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates the location of electric-a1 fuses in the, backguard of an electric range and eliminates the necessityfor unsightly supplementary cover plates for shielding the fuses as required by law.

From the-viewpoint of those manufacturing and selling electrical ranges as well as the ultimate consumer, a particular advantage of the present invention is that it provides a light reflector shield which is particularly decorative and an efficient light reflector while eliminating light standards of the prior art type.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it may be attached to and removed from the associated backguard without the necessity of manipulating screws, bolts or similar attach- From th view- 7 Claims. (Cl. 2402) point of the manufacturer this is also an important advantage in that it facilitates assembly of the range and cuts manufacturing costs. v

A reflector shield made in accordance with the present invention has the additional advantage of requiring no welding, brazing or similar joining of components, but instead is made from a unitary piece of material. The present device also lends itself readily to a Wide variety of decorative treatments with little additional cost and thus facilitates changes of the models produced by appliance manufacturers.

The novel-features that are characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims; the invention itself, however, both as to its organization and assembly, together with additional-obj ects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description. of a specific embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front elevational view of a portion of the backguard of a range showing a reflector shield secured thereto for reflecting light from an associated source of illumination while simultaneously covering a pair of fuses; and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on plane 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a portion of the 'backguard having the reflector shield in assembled -rel ati onship therewith and also showin in and assembly with the backguard.

Figure 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the rear portion of a reflector shield of modified construction.

As shown in the attached figures the structure of the present invention comprises a reflector shield l releasably secured to a range backguard, generally designated 2, by means of a plurality of spring clips 3. In its assembled position on the backguard of the range, the reflector shield is disposed adjacent to a light source 4 so as to reflect light therefrom downwardly onto the vertical face 5 of the backguard as well as the top cooking surface of the range (not shown).

Rotatably secured to face 5 of the backguard is a plurality of control switches 6 which ar provided for the control of associated electrical heating elements in a manner well known in th art. For decorative purposes a supplementary face plate 1, bearing a timer 8 and other control switches 9, may be secured to face 5 of the backguard. The light reflected from source 4 by reflector shield l facilitates the ready manipulaby reference numerals J3.

' 3 tion of the controls secured to th backgu-ard as well as cooking on the range.

For illustrative purposes the light source 4 is shown to be a fluorescent light tube held in position by a pair of electrical brackets l secured to face of the backguard. The present invention also comprehends the provision of other types of light sources such as conventional inc'andescent type bulbs.

A pair of electrical fuses l l are held by sockets l I a attached to bracket I lb within the backguardl in such a position as to be flush with. or .below its top face 12. These fuses are shielded or covered by reflector shield 1 when. the reflector shield is attached to the backguard. :As' will be.

discussed more fully hereinaftenfuees H are very accessible through opening [2a formed-in face l2 and may be removed and installed easily by the removal of the reflector shield. It is noteworthy that, as shown in Figure 1 the fuses are protected .and completely surrounded by metal :aswell as being out of sight when the reflector shield .is

attached to the-backguard.

Face 5 of-the backguard is planar forthemost part as indicated in Figure 2. -However;;face 5 .is curved outwardly at its top portion adjacent to face [2 with the exception of that region which .the light source 4 spans, this reg-ion being co- .planar with the major portion of face -5.

The curved forwardly extending-surface is'designated Thus, curved surface 13, in conjunction with the light source'-4,-tends to createa-more or less uniformly forwardly projectin g-region alongjthe upper edge of'the :backguard.

A, plurality of rectangular openings |4 is provided inface 12 0f a size corresponding to and forthepurpose of retaining spring-clips 3. These .clipsare shown in sideviewain Figure 2in' their normally expanded position full lines) and also .in, theircollapsedsposition (phantom lines) which is. assumed when the reflector shield-is assembled toor removed from the backguard. The :spring clips-define at their upward ends projecting ears 15,.the rearmost ears engaging the-rear portion of the reflector shield in a manner and for a .purposeto be described hereinafter;

It is noteworthy that the configurationsof spring clips.3 issuchthatthere-is notendency, whenin their-normal-position,-to workout of-openings l4, but instead through -camming actionon the edges of the openings-theytend' to remain retracted within the backguarda Reflector shield l is unitary, being fabricated from-.a-single sheetofmetal-to provide a flat top surface [6 and curved forward portion 1 l through .its full .length. A turned flange 3- isformed .along therear edge-of the-shield for itsfu-ll length.

The .remainingedges -of .the reflector shield are simply flanged as indicated at 59 in Figure 1.

extent as indicated at ,2! .for theentire length of "the reflector shield toward the rear.

the light source 4 to facilitate the reflection of spring clips as indicated in phantom lines in Figure 2; when so deflected, edge 22 of the reflector shield will be in position to clear curved portions l3 of the backguard and the reflector shield will pass through the position shown in phantom lines to the assembled position shown in full lines.

In the assembled positiomthereflector'is drawn :.into:intimate engagement with the'backguard by the spring clips which tend to expand and force Movement .of .theshield to the rear is limited, however, by

theengagement of curved portion I! of the shield oncurvedport-ions [3 of the backguard. Thus the-reflector shield is in effect releasably hooked onto itheiba'ckguard with its plane face l6 held ,parallel. to surface 12.

'As shown in Figure 2, the reflector shield is spacedfrom light source 4 and is ideally positioned for the reflection of light onto face 5 of the backguardand other portions of therange. It should benoted that the reflector shield acts-.as=-a.cover ,plate. for .fuses l I. which arereadily accessible-by the-simple andrapid removal of the shield. by

pulling. it forward and'raising .it sodas to clear .curve'dgportions l-3.of the backguard.

It will be appreciated bythose skilled-in the art that this reflectorshield represents. awery substantial manufacturing improvement in that it may he easily .and economically fabricated from a single sheet of material. Theshield, although preferably made .of 4 chromium plated, steel .can be made. of plastic or evenof .glass if such .is considered desirable. a

It. will also beunderstood that the simple cons'tructionnof the shield lends itself, readily -to..-a wide variety .of decorative configurations such-..as coined, grooves (not shown) and other effects -which are easily produced by moulding- :and

stamping. This is an obvious advantage -in; the manufacture of articles, theappearance ofwhich must be changed from year toyear tomeet the insatiable demand .of;,the..consuming public. for eye-appealing, appli'ancesof novel. design.

,As illustrated inparticularli'n. Figure .1, .the;:reflector shield. when assembledto .thebackguard does, not project. any significant distance above face [2. The improvementin the appearanceof the .backguard and shield assembly is believed ,to be manifestin .contrastto the conventional light fixtures which project. above the top surfaceflof the backguard' proper...

The herein disclosed .invention has been .described withparticular.referenceto its useon an electric cooking range- It shorildbennderstood, however, that the construction .canbe applied .to a very wide variety .ofappliances wherein its-is desired to ,provide an economicaL. simple, decorative reflector shield. It is particularly useful-in anapplication where the reflector-shield performs theadditional functionof acting as a cover plate over electrical fuses or like units which -must be readily-accessiblebut preferably kept out of sight.

,A .modifiedconstruction isshown 'in :Figure" .3 which eliminates the need for spring clips. -3 by the'provision of a rearwardly and downwardly extending rear portion 23 of theshield. Portion .23 extends over the rear 2a of backguard 2v and .is formedto define a plurality of indentations-or .dimples;24 for engagement with corresponding dimples or recesses 25 provided in th'e'rear wall of the backguarcl. The modified shield has a shallow, modified U-shaped-cross section which conforms at. its end with the configuration of the backguard.

A reflector shield constructed in accordance with Figure 3 is held in engagement with the backguard by the resilience of the reflector shield itself. In other words, when the shield is assembled with the backguard, it is sprung sufliciently to permit the passage of dimples 24 into recesses 25 thereby producing slight internal stresses within the shield which hold it in clamped engagement with the backguard.

The modified shield is assembled to the backguard by first being engaged with the forwardly projecting curved surfaces l3 thereof. Thereafter, rear portion 23 of the shield is swung downwardly until the dimples 24 are brought into engagement with recesses 25. This engagement centralizes as well as holds the shield in position.

It will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that the modified construction has the advantage of eliminating spring clips 3 and the necessity for providing openings H in face l2 of the backguard.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with an appliance, a hollow backguard provided with forwardly convexly curved horizontal end portions near the top of its forward face; a light source securedto the forward face between the curved portions; an elongated reflector shield conforming at its ends to th curved configuration of the top portion of the backguard and provided with a curved forward portion in reflecting relationship with said light source, and electric fuses disposed within the backguard, said backguard being formed to define an opening through which said fuses may be removed, said opening being positioned adjacent said light source for coverageby said reflector shield when assembled with'fsaid backguard.

2. In combination with an appliance, a backguard with a top face and a front face, a light source secured to the front face, fuses within the backguard accessible through an opening formed within its top face, the top face of said backguard being formed to define separate openings spaced from the fuse opening, resilient means disposed within the separate openings, a cover removably disposed over the top face having a curved forward portion in light reflecting relationship with said light source and a planar rear portion covering the fuse opening, said resilient means engaging said cover and drawing it against the top and front face of the backguard in covering relationship above said fuse opening and in light reflecting relationship with said light source.

3. In an electric range, a backguard having a top and a substantially vertical front face the upper end portions of which are outwardly and convexly curved forming horizontally extending projections, a light source secured to the vertical front face between the curved end portions; electric fuses disposed within said backguard adjacent said light source, said fuses being' accessible through an opening formed within the top of said backguard; a unitary reflector shield having an elongated planar portion for covering the fuse opening and a curved forward portion corresponding generally to the shape of the convexly curved upper end portions of said backguardja flange along the edge of said shield remote from the forward portion; said backguard being formed to define a plurality of openings in its top face; and

a plurality of spring clips disposed within the openings in said backguard, ears on said spring clips projecting outwardly from said backguard for engaging said flange of said reflector shield, said springs exerting on said reflector shield rearwardly directed forces for drawing the curved forward portion of said shield into intimate engagement with the curved upper end portions of said backguard in position to reflect light from said light source and to cover the fuse opening.

4. A resilient unitary reflector shield in combination with a range having an upstanding backguard with rear and top faces and a forward face to which is secured a source of illumination and having fuses within the backguard accessible through an opening in its top face adjacent the source of illumination, the shield comprising an elongated planar portion covering the fuse opening and conforming at its ends with the shape of the backguard so as to embrace its front and top faces, the forward portion of said shield being curved forwardly and downwardly to partially encompass the source of i lumination and to reflect light therefrom, and resilient means releasably connecting the rear portion of said reflector shield to the backguard.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said resilient means comprises a plurality of springs resiliently and releasably engaged with the backguard and said shield whereby rearwardly directed forces are imposed on said shield drawing it into intimate engagement with the front of the backguard.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said means comprises inwardly projecting dimples formed in the rear portion of said shield and resiliently engaged with recesses formed within the rear face of the backguard.

7. In combination with an appliance,'a hollow backguard provided with forwardly, convexly curved horizontal end portions near the top of its forward face; a light source secured to the forward face between the curved portions; an elongated refiector shield conforming at its ,ends to the curved configuration of the top portion of the backguard and provided with a curved forward portion in reflecting relationship with said light source; and a circuit-interrupting device disposed within the backguard, said backguard being formed to define an opening through which said circuit-interrupting device is accessible, said opening being positioned adjacent said light source for coverage by said reflector shield when assembled with said backguard.

WILLIAM RICHARD CRAWFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 670,536 Clark et a Mar. 26, 1901 1,739,709 Chiapetto Dec. 17, 1929 1,915,704 Warren June 27, 1933 1,928,151 Goldman Sept. 26, 1933 2,029,095 Demeryv et a1 Jan. 28, 1936 2,130,328 Hoff Sept. 13, 1938 2,258,685 Mattla-tzki Oct. 14,1941 2,434,951 Netting Jan. 27, 1948 2,442,988 Satz June 8, 1948 

